Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, better known as Ayra Starr, dropped a surprising revelation about her pre-fame days during an appearance on the popular podcast, hosted by Feyikemi Abudu and Jola Ayeye.
The 22-year-old Mavin Records star confessed that before she became a celebrated artist, she was an active social media troll, running a page dedicated to stirring up trouble online—and it all started with her obsession with rapper Nicki Minaj.
“I had a troll page, I had a Nicki Minaj fan page before I became Ayra Starr,” she admitted.
Ayra explained that what began as a fan page for the American rap icon quickly morphed into a platform where she’d “annoy and provoke people online.” As a self-proclaimed “Barbz” (a term for Nicki Minaj’s devoted fans), Ayra used the page to both defend her idol and take playful jabs at others, a stark contrast to the confident, polished persona she exudes today.
“I used to be a troll, so I feel like I’ve been there, done that,” she said,
“Sometimes I want to be a troll on the internet, probably with a fake page, so that when people insult me, I won’t feel bad because I do the same,” she added. .
The revelation came as part of a candid conversation about her journey from obscurity to stardom. Ayra, who burst onto the scene in 2021 with her self-titled EP under Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records, reflected on how her early online antics shaped her perspective.